Judge rules Trump administration can deport Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil

A U.S. immigration judge in Louisiana ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration can move forward with deportation proceedings against Mahmoud Khalil.

The Columbia University graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist’s case has become a flashpoint in the national debate over student protests and immigration policy. Judge James Comans at the LaSalle Immigration Court ruled that Khalil is removable under U.S. immigration law.

Comans cited a recent letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which deemed Khalil’s presence in the United States a threat to foreign policy. The judge said the Department of Homeland Security met its burden of proof...